On July 14, the Board of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) approved USD 878 million for Algeria to complete Phase II of its 495-kilometer Laghouat-Ghardaïa-El Meniaa railway line, reported its website. Phase II is focused on the construction of the 230-kilometer Ghardaïa–El Meniaa section of the railway together with “integrated infrastructure and institutional support activities.”
The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure, and Mike Salawou, Director for Infrastructure and Urban Development, noted that the financing will help Algeria deliver strategic railway infrastructure to boost economic growth, improve connectivity, and strengthen regional integration. It is also designed to integrate with other aspects of the economy, such as training centers for railway employees, and to engage the youth and women in these projects.
The completed rail line is designed to drive regional integration along the Trans-Saharan railway corridor from Algiers to Tamanrasset in the south of the country. The Trans-Saharan railway has been a project in the works since the 1940s; it and other rail projects could be the best “ambassadors” for peaceful economic development in the region, and creating a “win-win” outcome for the populations involved.
